American Coot

Habitat

American Coots are common at lower elevations in large freshwater ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers. For nesting, they require tall marsh vegetation in shallow water. Other times of the year, they will occasionally visit salt marshes and protected coastal bays.

Behavior

American Coots are noisy, gregarious members of the rail family. They propel themselves through the water by pumping their heads back and forth. Flocks often forage along the shore or on lawns. They also dive for aquatic plants. To become airborne, they must scramble across the water with wings flapping vigorously. Coots will aggressively defend nesting territories, attacking each other with their feet.

Diet

Opportunistic feeders, coots eat mostly plant material but will also feed on small fish, tadpoles, snails, worms, insects, and eggs of other birds.

Nesting

The nest, built by both sexes, is a floating platform made of stems of marsh plants. It is concealed in vegetation and anchored to surrounding plants. Females lay 6-11 eggs, and both sexes incubate. The young are able to swim soon after hatching and follow the parents to be fed. Pairs may have one to two broods per year.

Migration Status

In the east, American Coots are very rare nesters and only appear in fall and winter. American Coots are permanent residents in the lowlands of eastern and western Washington. From late August through December, local birds and migrants often congregate on large bodies of water. Wintering flocks may be found in bays along the coast. Birds return to breeding areas in March and April.

Conservation Status

American Coots are abundant in many areas and are often a pest on golf courses.

When and Where to Find in Washington

In western Washington, coots are found in the Puget Trough and the Columbia River. They are rare along the coast except in winter. There are large numbers on Lake Washington near Seattle (King County). They occur throughout eastern Washington wherever suitable bodies of water exist.

Click here to visit this species' account and breeding-season distribution map in Sound to Sage, Seattle Audubon's on-line breeding bird atlas of Island, King, Kitsap, and Kittitas Counties.

Washington Range Map